Scaffold hanger



July 4,A 1939'. 'A. D. WEBSTER S CAFFOLD HANGER Filed Jan. 3, 1939iNVENToR.

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ArToRNEK Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOAFFOLD'HANGER Allen D. Webster, Daly City, Calif. Application January 3,1939,'Serial No. 249,054 6 Claims. (Cl. 304-16) I2 to prevent damage tothe face of a building.v @i

This invention relates to suspend-ed scaffolds suchas are used bypainters and other building mechanics when working on the exteriorrvertical walls of a building, the invention being particularly directedto the hangers whereby the planks forming the working platform aresupported.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation ofscaffolds of the characterdescribed; toprovide a scaffold hanger which is adjustable to planks of differentwidths; to provide a hanger whichY is adapted to be hung from a blockand tackle and whichwwill automatically center itself with relation tothe width of the plank, regardle-ss of the varying widths of the vplanksemployed; to

provide a hanger which clamps and grips the plank so that it will not bereleased and slide out of the hangers as usually happens whena plankbreaks at any point between the hangers; to provide a hanger whichpermits the use of safety bars or rails; and further, to provide meanswhereby the safety rail may be adjusted to assume the best position withrelation to planks of varying width. Y

The scaffold hanger is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is an enlarged cross section taken on line I--Iof Fig.2; y

Fig. 2 is a side elevationfof'the scaffold and the hangers employed; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof the inner end of one of the crossbarswherebyv the scaffold plank is supported.

The scaffold hanger -consists df a crossbar 2, to one end of which issuitably secured a forkshaped lug 3. Slidably mounted on the crossbar isa second fork-shaped lug 4. Pivotally secured to the upper end of eachof said lugs are armsV 5 and 6 respectively, the upper ends of which arehung in a heart-shaped link l. This in turn is adapted to be hung from ablock and tackle generally indicated at B, whereby the scaffold issuspended from the roof or other support on the building.

The crossbar 2 is in this instance tubular and square in cross section,but it might be round in cross section. Telescoping within it is anextension bar 9 (see Figs. 1 and 3). The inner end of the crossbar 2 hasa hole `made in it to receive a pin I9. The extension bar 9 is providedwith a series of holes I I, and when it is extended to the desiredlength or distance the pin I9 is passed through the holes to lock orsecure the bar 9 in its adjusted or extended position. On the inner endof the bar 9 is secured a rubber pad or bumper By means ofthe extensionbar, the plank |4 upon which the painters stand, or the scaffold as awhole, may be maintained atv any distance desired from the face of thebuilding.

lOn the outer end of the crossbar 2 is a pivoted socket member I5. Thiscarries an upright member or post I6, on the upper end of which aremounted yokes I1 and I8 which are provided for the purpose of receivinga safety bar or rail I9,

which is secured against removal by clamping screws`2ll or the like.Where a single plank is employed, as shown invFig. 2., only one safetybar or rail I9 will ybe employed, but ifv a comparatively long stretchofwall surface isbeing worked upon,

two or more planks will be used,and a third or fourth hanger, not shown,will be employed. When an additional plank |4a is added, anadditionalsafety rail, indicated at .|9a, will also be employed. It isfor this reason that the two yokes such as shown at Il and I8 areprovided.

,Slidably mounted on the post I6 is a sleeve 2|, and connecting saidsleeve with the arm 6 is a link 22. By raising or lowering the sleeve 2|on the post I6, the post together with vthe safety rail I9 may be swunginwardly or outwardly with relation to the plank on the scaffold,thereby permitting ladjustment of the rail with relation to planks ofvarying width. One adjusted position of the post and safety rail I9 isshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Y

When the scaffold is pulled'up as high as pos'- sible, that is, when itis positioned directly under the roof of'a building, there is a tendencyfor the plank I4 to tilt inwardly towards the building. To compensatefor this, a pin 25 is formed in the link 'l over which the upper end ofthe arm 5 may be hooked,vthus lifting the inner side of the scaf foldand leveling it. When the scaffold is lowered the plank |4 tends to hanghorizontal and the arm 5 may then be lowered to the lower end of thelink 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

The inner end of the extensible bar 9 which carries the rubber bumper I2is commonly known as the fender or bumper end of the scaffold hang-er.It sometimes happens that the bumper or fender end will align with thewooden frame separating two windows, and as there is danger that thescaffold may sway slightly so that the bumper or fender will slide offthe window frame and break the windows, a U-shaped link such as shown at36 (see Fig. 3) is provided. This is swung to the dotted line positionshown at 3| (see Fig. 1), and it is there secured by placing a pinthrough the perforations indicated at 32 and 33.

The inner end of the U-shaped link has a pointed pin 34 which enters thewoodwork and thus holds the bumper or fender end against sliding off thewoodwork and breaking the window.

It will of course be understood that there are two hangers for the plankI4 upon which the workmen stand, that is, there is one hanger at eachend. Sometimes the distance between the two hangers is fairly great, andone thing that has happened time and again isthat too many men have beenplaced on a plank and it breaks in the middle. When this happens the twobroken ends will slide olf the crossbars 2, and the men and the plankends will fall to the street. By constructing the scaffold hanger ashere shown, there is an ice-tong action between the arms 5 6 and thefork-shaped lugs 3 and 4. That is, there is a continuous inward pull onthe arms 5 and 6 which tends to grip the plank securely between themembers 3 and 4; also, there is a tendency toy tilt the lug4, causing itto bite into the edge of the plank and securely grip the same. Thus, ifthe plank should break inthe middle, while it would tip and hangdownwardly, it would still be gripped between the members 3 and 4, andif the men were quick, when a break occurred they could grasp the plankends and hang onto them, as the plank ends would not slide out frombetween the members 3 and 4. y

Another advantage of. this arrangement is that no matter how wide theplank, the block and tackle will always centralize itself with relationto the plank. The adjustable back rail I9 is another` important feature,and so is the extensible or adjustable bar 9 which spaces the plank orscaffold from the face of the building.

While certain features of my invention have been more or lessspecifically described and illustrated, I nevertheless wish itunderstood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims, and that the materials and iinish of the several partsemployed may be in accordance with the judgment of the manufacturer orthe demands of varying conditions of use.

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A scaiold hanger of thecharacter described comprising a crossbar, a pair of lugs on the baradjustable and tiltable thereon toreceive between them planks of varyingwidths, a link hung from a suspending device, a pair of arms suspendedfrom said link, and a pivotal connection between the lower end of eacharm and an adjacent lug whereby when weight is applied to the plank thearms tend to tilt and pull the lugs toward each other to clamp andsecure the plank between them.

2. A scaffold hanger of the character described comprising a crossbar, alug xed adjacent the inner end of the crossbar, a second lug slidablymounted on the crossbar, said lugs adapted to engage opposite sides of aplank placed on the crossbar, said sliding lug having a slight tiltingmovement on the crossbar, a pair of suspending arms pivoted at theirlower ends one to each lug, said arms tending to pull the sliding lugagainst the Xed lug and at the same time to tilt the sliding lug so asto cause it to bite into the side of the plank and secure the plankbetween the lugs, an elongated suspending link connecting and forming apivotal hanger for the upper ends of the arms, and a pin intermediatethe ends of the link from which one of the arms may be suspended.

3. A scaffold hanger of the character described comprising a crossbar, alug fixed adjacent the inner end of the crossbar, a second lug slidablymounted on the crossbar, said lugs adapted to engage opposite sides of aplank placed on the crossbar, said sliding lug havinga slight tiltingmovement on the crossbar, a pair of suspending arms pivoted at theirlower ends one to each lug, said arms tending to pull the sliding lugagainst the fixed lug and at the same time to tilt the sliding lug so asto cause it to bite into the side of the plank and secure the plankbetween the lugs, and a suspending link connecting and forming a pivotalhanger for the upper ends of the arms.

4. In a scaffold hanger of the character described a pair of crossbarsadapted to receive and form a support for the opposite ends of a plank,suspension means from which the crossbars and plank are hung, a socketmember piv oted to the outer end of each crossbar, an upright post ineach socket member, a yoke at the upper end of each post, a safety railsecured in and carried by said yokes, a sleeve vertically adjustable oneach post, a link connecting each sleeve with the suspension means, saidsleeves and links adapted to impart a tilting movement to the posts andsafety rail carried thereby to adjust the safety rail to or away fromthe plank, and means for securing the sleeves on the posts when thesafety rail is adjusted.

5. In a scaffold hanger of the character described a pair of crossbarsadapted to receive and form a support for the opposite ends of. a plank,suspension means from which the crossbar-s and plank are hung, anupright post on the outer end of each crossbar, a pivotal connectionbetween said posts and the crossbar, a yoke on the upper end of eachpost, a safety rail secured in and carried by said yokes, a verticallyadjustable member on each post, and a link connecting each verticallyadjustable member with the suspension means, said vertically adjustablemember and links adapted to impart a tilting movement to the posts andsafety rail carried thereby, to adjust the safety rail to or away fromthe plank.

6. In a scaffold hanger of the character described, the combinaton withthe crossbars, the plank, and the suspension means whereby the crossbarand plank are supported, of a U-shaped member pivotally secured to theinner end of each crossbar, said U-shaped members adapted to be swunginto alignment with the crossbars, means for securing said U-shapedmembers when in alignment with the crossbars, and a pointed pin on theouter end of each U-shaped member.

ALLEN Di. VEBSTER.

